Saturday, April 16, 2022
Grief
An excerpt from John 19:38-42 (NRSV)
Nicodemus, who had first come to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, weighing about a hundred pounds. They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it with the spices in the linen cloths, according to the burial custom of the Jews.
Reflection from Addiz Rosenthal,
St. Simon’s Episcopal Church:
Poor Nicodemus, he loved Jesus so much, yet had to hide his love for fear of repercussions.I imagine he felt the need to overcompensate with the excessive amounts of spices, myrrh and aloe he brought for Jesus’ burial preparation. What a relief it must have been for Nicodemus to provide an honorable burial for Jesus. I can only imagine how it may have felt to prepare Jesus’ body. To wipe his face and wounds clean of the suffering Jesus endured. Then ever so gently wrap his sacred body in linens, and lay his body in the tomb.
I had the opportunity to prepare Papi’s body.It was a very solemn peaceful experience for me. I knew that Papi was on his way to see our Lord, and that gave me calmness. Mami, my sister, daughter and I gave him his last sponge bath. We dressed him in his best suit, put his socks on and a lil splash of cologne. We were unable to celebrate his beautiful life right away with a funeral. This was March 2020, as the world turned upside down and inside out. I focused on Mami, who was always sharing her grace, love and beauty with her food, full of delicious peruvian spices. My parents were a beautiful immigrant couple from Peru.They came here to the USA because they had faith and hope in something better for their family.Their faith gave everyone who met them an immediate sense of welcome and love. Their enthusiasm for life and love for our family still fills me. Mami joined Papi in December 2021.I wasn’t able to help prepare Mami’s body, yet we were able to give Mami an honorable funeral, with a beautiful celebration of life. I am so very grateful that I was able to honor my parents. The beauty of course is knowing they are with Jesus. Sometimes the grief of not having them here physically is difficult, but what makes it easier is the faith in our sweet Lord.
God has everything orchestrated by her hand.All we need is to have faith. Tiny miracles happen all around us, we have to listen and watch with more than our ears and eyes. At times ‘tis an easy task, yet other times it is a true measure of inner strength. Those are the times I’m grateful to Jesus. To know He has my back and I can lean into Jesus. To have faith that all will be well. As Papi and Mami would always say, todo va estar bien mi vida, todo bien.
Stained glass window in St Simon’s Episcopal Church
For further study and prayer, the readings assigned for today are:
Job 14:1-14; Psalm 31:1-4, 15-16; 1 Peter 4:1-8; Matthew 27:57-66
MUSIC
“Sing Me to Heaven”
by Daniel Gawthrop,
sung by Kathryn Duncan
In my heart’s sequestered chambers
lie truths stripped of poet’s gloss.
Words alone are vain and vacant,
and my heart is mute.
Tags: Holy Week 2022